SF/F Crowd Funding Roundup For 4/14/2014

Crowd funding is the in thing for obtaining money to fund a variety of projects, with Kickstarter being the most prominent of these sites. With new projects going live daily, it’s a chore to keep up with, let alone find, interesting genre projects. The Crowd Funding Roundup will be our effort to bring projects we think are interesting to your attention so you can, if you so choose, decide to help out. These posts are a collaborative effort between James Aquilone and JP Frantz.

Chibi Gaslight Horror – Cthulhu Mythos & Sci-Fi Miniatures

Why it’s interesting: Chibi, gasslight, Cthulhu. What more do you need? Pledge levels are a bit different, basically you are buying points with your pledge and spending those points on the minis you desire. Like Cthulhu. Who doesn’t want a Chibithulhu? No one! Okay, fine. The Cthulhu Pony is pretty cool too…

Why it’s interesting:X-Com is the classic turn-based, squad-level game of alien invasion. Anything even remotely approaching that game sounds great to me. Chaos Reborn even looks pretty interesting to boot, and you can try the game for free, in your browser, here. If you like what you see, $20 nets you a digital copy of the game.

What’s it about? Unveiled is the second book in the C# series by Jamie Wyman.

Why it’s interesting: The first novel in this series, Wild Card, was published by Entangled Edge in November 2013, but they decided not to publish the second book. So Wyman decided that “the best way to get Unveiled into the hands of readers” was to self-publish it through Kickstarter. The campaign is off to a great start, so it looks like she was right. Unveiled follows Catherine Sharp–a gifted tech support guru whose soul belongs to a trickster god–as she attempts to solve the murder of a “woman with a strange, cloudy past.” A digital copy of the books is $9, while the trade paperback (along with other goodies) is $25.

What’s it about? Thrilling new stories of adventure, dystopia, badassery, and pedal power in classic pulp paperback format.

Why it’s interesting: What’s not interesting about feminism and bikes in space? That’s about as interesting as it gets. Publisher Elly Blue says the first Bikes in Space was something of a joke and was meant to be a one-off zine, but after an overwhelming response, she decided to make it a series. The book will contain a “dozen plus stories” set in a “dizzying futurescape inhabited by empowered women on two wheels!” A print copy of Bikes in Space 2 is only $10.

What’s it about? Geek Theater is a unique anthology of science fiction and fantasy plays written by today’s top authors and playwrights.

Why it’s interesting:Geek Theater, edited by Jen Gunnels and Erin Underwood, aims to bring attention to “modern science fiction and fantasy stage plays [that] have largely flown beneath the radar in comparison to published mainstream stage plays.” The anthology includes an “assortment of stage plays, which range from full-length to monologues.” Playwrights in the book include Jeanne Beckwith, Cecil Castellucci, and F. Brett Cox. The ebook is $10, while a print copy is $15.

What’s it about? 12 more issues of new, unique short fiction from progressive press Crossed Genres, with higher pay rates for authors!

Why it’s interesting: After its initial three-year run, CG Magazine was re-launched in January 2013 following a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign. They’ve been offering subscriptions to the magazine since then, but they haven’t reached the point where the publication is self-sustainable. With the latest Kickstarter, they’re looking to pay for the next year of issues — including a pay raise for authors from 5 cents a word to 6 cents a word. The magazine was recently made a qualifying professional market for the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. Rewards include issues of CG Magazine, subscriptions, book bundles, and T-shirts.

What’s it about? A science fiction anthology from the rising stars of indie-publishing in Texas and beyond.

Why it’s interesting:Tides of Possibility, a joint venture from The Houston Writers Guild and SkipJack Publishing, will contain stories from K.J. Russell, who is also editing the anthology, D.L. Young, and Erin M Kennemer. Other authors are expected to be announced soon. The ebook is only $5, while the ebook and print version are $25.

James Aquilone is an editor and writer, mostly of the speculative ilk, from Staten Island, New York. His fiction has appeared in Nature’s Futures, Galaxy’s Edge, Flash Fiction Online, and Weird Tales Magazine, among many other publications. His nonfiction has appeared in SF Signal, Den of Geek, Shock Totem, and Hellnotes. He is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and the Horror Writers Association. Visit him at http://jamesaquilone.com

Day 3 0f my totally stealing this idea from both John Scalzi and Chuck Wendig, and changing it up a little for SF Signal. I want to know which genre publishers out there you like and why. Big publishers, small publishers - doesn't matter. Tell us about them. Leave your thoughts in the comments, along with a link to their Continue Reading →

An interest in space travel has always fueled my love of scienc efiction. Today at the Kirkus Reviews Blog, I look at some recent releases that ignite that same passion. Head on over to the Kirkus Reviews Blog and check out Of Space Travel and Space Suits...

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